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The most helpful favourable review

The most helpful critical review

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 starsRound one to Stewart and Gouldman
Once Godley and Creme had split to promote their gizmo project, comparisons between their first album, "Consequences", and this were predictable. Also predictable was that the split diluted the powers of all involved. Godley and Creme's unrestrained ambition initially led to them drowning in twaddle. This effort, in contrast, lacked their subtle wit and invention, but it...

2.0 out of 5 starsTerrible remastering
I would like to give the music 4 stars but no stars for the remastering. The remastering engineer (Roger Wake) did a very poor job on the remastering of the 10cc albums. The worst example is that the tape is actually slowing down in the last minute of the song 'feel the benefit'. The same thing happens on the 'bloody tourists' album on several songs.Back to the...

Once Godley and Creme had split to promote their gizmo project, comparisons between their first album, "Consequences", and this were predictable. Also predictable was that the split diluted the powers of all involved. Godley and Creme's unrestrained ambition initially led to them drowning in twaddle. This effort, in contrast, lacked their subtle wit and invention, but it still scored heavily because Stewart and Gouldman retained the knack of conjuring up memorable hooks.They scored two big hits and maintained a high production standard, taking the utmost care with each track. There is a sense though that they were trying to prove that they possessed a spirit as adventurous as their former partners'. The mammoth closing track, "Feel The Benefit" undergoes several tempo and dynamic changes, culminating in a gorgeous guitar solo against an orchestral background. Prog, anyone? Despite this, the lyric doesn't match its grandeur."Deceptive Bends" is therefore lightweight by 10cc's earlier standards, but is just as classy. A safe buy.

Back in 1977 I remember being genuinely upset by the news that Godley & Creme had left 10cc, at the time one my favourite bands. Surely that was the end, wasn't it?It was reassuring to hear that Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman were going to continue under the banner of 10cc but I was concerned that they would suffer from the departure of what many regarded as the more creative part of the band. Those fears appeared initially to be borne out by Deceptive Bends, the first post-Godley & Creme effort, which seemed on first listen to lack invention and spark. This was caused, in part, by the fact that the pre-publicity for the album labelled it as a follow-up to Sheet Music, which it clearly wasn't.However, after a few listens the quality started to shine through and I was forced to re-appraise it drastically. With the benefit of hindsight I can say that with the albums Original Soundtrack and How Dare You the band were becoming a little too "clever" for their own good and indeed were starting to disappear up their collective backsides.Deceptive Bends represented a more economical approach in which 70's style self-indulgence was kept under control and, whilst it seemed like rather a culture shock at the time, it is for this very reason that "Bends" has stood the test of time so well. The album kicks off with "Good Morning Judge" and "The Things We Do For Love" (both hit singles) which are imbued with confidence (Kevin and Lol? Who needs them!) but the quality does not slacken from start to finish. Rediscover hidden gems such as "Marriage Bureau Rendezvous" and "Honeymoon with B Troop" which both combine sharp (and funny)lyrics with tunes you can't shake. As for "You've Got a Cold", how about the couplet: "Foreign bodies in your Kleenex - you've got no taste at all, while your system is dying the bugs are having a ball". Heroic stuff! Last but not least, the epic closer "Feel the Benefit" is truly affecting, particularly in the final section in which Eric Stewart produces the guitar solo of a lifetime.This album, some 27 years after its original release, remains one of my favourites and I would thoroughly recommend it to all 10cc fans and anyone who appreciates well-crafted timeless pop/rock. Others have made adverse comments about the standard of the re-mastering but it sounds fine to me. Maybe I'm just easily pleased....

I would like to give the music 4 stars but no stars for the remastering. The remastering engineer (Roger Wake) did a very poor job on the remastering of the 10cc albums. The worst example is that the tape is actually slowing down in the last minute of the song 'feel the benefit'. The same thing happens on the 'bloody tourists' album on several songs.Back to the music: after the departure of Godley & Creme, Stewart & Gouldman came up with a good pop album, which remains a pleasure to hear after all these years, but I'll stick with my old japanese cd-copy without the very nice indeed bonus- tracks !!

bought this album on vinyl a long time ago, and still remember the great tracks, especially, track 9 feel the benefit, this 11.31 min long track,was great first time around, even better remastered, +3 extra tracks love this album think, its even better than original soundtrack album which is almost impossible, seeing the band had already split, by the time they made deceptive bends, cant say enough good things about this album 10/10

What made 10cc?Original lyrics? music? tunes?A combination of all three that's for sure.

After Godley and Creme left the band, Eric and Grahame carried on and lets face it - they hit the ground running."Good morning Judge" and the "Things we do for love" are great songs.This album is named after a road sign that pin points some tricky turns in a road near Surrey.

I love the stabbing, jarring feel of GMJ and the tuneful Things we do for love. The vocal overlay is really quite good. brilliant in fact. But somehow you feel that they are going through the motions. "you had me crawling all the wa--y"?

Still it has it's stand out moments."Marriage bureau rendezvous" and "People in love" are very contrived and lack a certain "something".Modern Man Blues cuts it's way through what the previous two songs lacked - and that's attitude.The blues feel adds an air of depression that is lifted at the chorus to an upbeat tempo that makes you tap your feet.

Honeymoon with "B" troop carries on this high tempo effect, with a stabbing tune that makes you feel that you should cover your wife up when abroad. Down - down - down..........

Now we'd like to....

"I brought a flat guitar tutor" is a bit of a filler to be brutally honest. Can't see what they were trying to do here.Other than fill the album?

I've got a cold is okay - but really? Clever - but really a cold is not song material.

Feel the Benefit - the live version is impressive and whilst this is an accurate studio repo, it somehow lacks the feeling that Eric conveys in Live and let Live. Still great to listen to mind.

Considering half of 10cc had left - this album is still very good and worth a listen.Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman are such accomplished musicians that it's a shame they haven't continued as 10cc.One lives in hope.

I agree with the previous review and I won't be too long. 10 cc never reached after such a high level in spite of some interesting songs (I have all the disks). This is a great concept album and I highly recommend it. By the way, the guitar solo at the end is gorgeous, one of the best I know.

I really enjoyed this album when it came out in the 70's and now it sounds even better re mastered on CD.10cc were much underrated back in the day, and could teach modern producers of popular music a thing or two.Sound quality is excellent, clever lyrics combined with catchy pop music, what could be better.This was when music was new, fresh and original, no sampling going on here. I would recommend this album to anyone interested in original pop music from the seventies, which still sounds good today.

Used to have this on vinyl (well still do but no record player!). Went to see them in concert just before Xmas, although it is just Graham Gouldman from the original classic line-up. They played Feel The Benefit live, and after hearing it I just had to go out and get this again. Other highlight for me is Modern Man Blues although all songs are strong album tracks, and of course there are a couple of classic singles in Good Morning Judge & The Things We Do For Love. I would recommend this CD to anyone